One type of vehicle suspension system which is becoming increasingly popular is the MacPherson strut suspension system. The MacPherson strut is an integral coil spring-shock absorber assembly which provides a lightweight, compact vehicle suspension system. The MacPherson strut suspension system is disclosed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,592 to E. S. MacPherson.
One of the problems associated with MacPherson strut assemblies is related to the replacement of a worn shock absorber unit. One solution to this problem is to manufacture the MacPherson strut assembly with a construction which permits the worn shock absorber to be readily removed and replaced with a new shock absorber. However, this type of construction results in additional manufacturing expense. Consequently, some manufacturers produce MacPherson strut assemblies which do not readily accept replacement shock absorbers. In this type of assembly, the original equipment shock absorber unit is inserted into an associated cylindrical shroud which is subsequently sealed by welding or roll forming operations. The cylindrical shroud which houses the shock absorber typically includes a coil spring support and a lower support bracket. Thus, when the shock absorber unit wears out, the vehicle owner is faced with the expense of replacing the entire cylindrical shroud assembly, including the coil spring support and the lower support bracket.